North Fork Rugby Club players during a scrum at practice. (Credit: Katharine Schroeder)

To those who have never seen one before, a rugby ball is sort of odd looking, like a bloated football on steroids. One can imagine a rugby player being asked by somebody who doesn’t know better: “Hey dude, what’s wrong with your football?”

Rugby balls are not exactly a common sight on the North Fork, although they are becoming more common, thanks to the efforts of Mike Jablonski.

Jablonski, a Mattituck High School teacher who lives in Shoreham, is the founder and coach of the fledgling North Fork Rugby Club. He assembled an under-18 team that held after-school practices this spring and played its first game earlier this month. It is Jablonski’s hope that, with this modest beginning, rugby will gain a foothold on the North Fork. (more…)